Or, they could all compete for humane treatment, cleanliness, lack-of-outbreaks, and which jails keep out the most contraband. Heck, they may even help nullify bad decisions: "Jim bob clearly wasn't guilty, judge. We won't take him." or "Sorry, we can't continue to aide the failed war on drugs. We refuse to accept any violators of victimless drug crimes".

We could also have judges and courts competing for the fairest rulings, consistent rulings, and who look at evidence more clearly than who pays the most.

Instead we have the system of "Hey, I need to be re-elected. I'll rule in your favor more often if you give me a 'campaign contribution' of a few mill"

And "Oh, is prison #5 at 120% capacity? Let's just throw them in Jail #6!"

---

We need to realize that jails and courts are important market functions and allow them to thrive just like the rest.

It's no surprise that these sections of the economy are struggling when most others are not.

Seriously. For-profit prisons make more profit by housing more prisoners, not fewer. Any for-profit prison principled enough to take a stand on issues like victimless drug crimes would soon be driven out of business by those with fewer scruples.

Evan, here's an example of what can happen with private prisons. (Not suggesting that there are no problems with public prisons--overcrowding, poor medical care, drugs, gangs, etc.)

"Yes, my son made a mistake, but I didn't think he was going to be taken away from me," said Swartley, a 41-year-old single mother raising two boys in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

CNN does not usually identify minors accused of crimes. But Swartley and others agreed to be named to bring public attention to the issue.

As scandals from Wall Street to Washington roil the public trust, the justice system in Luzerne County, in the heart of Pennsylvania's struggling coal country, has also fallen prey to corruption. The county has been rocked by a kickback scandal involving two elected judges who essentially jailed kids for cash. Many of the children had appeared before judges without a lawyer.

The nonprofit Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia said Phillip is one of at least 5,000 children over the past five years who appeared before former Luzerne County President Judge Mark Ciavarella.

Ciavarella pleaded guilty earlier this month to federal criminal charges of fraud and other tax charges, according to the U.S. attorney's office. Former Luzerne County Senior Judge Michael Conahan also pleaded guilty to the same charges. The two secretly received more than $2.6 million, prosecutors said.

The judges have been disbarred and have resigned from their elected positions. They agreed to serve 87 months in prison under their plea deals. Ciavarella and Conahan did not return calls, and their attorneys told CNN that they have no comment.

Ciavarella, 58, along with Conahan, 56, corruptly and fraudulently "created the potential for an increased number of juvenile offenders to be sent to juvenile detention facilities," federal court documents alleged. Children would be placed in private detention centers, under contract with the court, to increase the head count. In exchange, the two judges would receive kickbacks.

Just assuming most of you live in the U.S. I will ask this. If you hate capitalism so much why do you live here? Wouldn't it be easier and less frustrating for you to live in a country that has a system that matches your core values?

Did someone say they hate capitalism? Believing that some things such as health care, clean water, and the incarceration of human beings should not be based solely on profit is not the same as hating capitalism.

No, I do not know if they are "efficient" and I have no proof. As with most entities, public or private, they can undoubtedly be more efficient. That does not mean they should not exist or that the services would be provided more efficiently by the private sector. Most of them would not even be undertaken due to the enormity of the task and lack of profit potential.

I'm sure you love freedom, you wouldn't be able to say the things you say without it. That does not mean you don't hate capitalism. Government does have a role to play, provide for our national defense and little else. Who could hate puppies?

Who hates capitalism? We want to preserve it with the minimum regulations needed to assure that it delivers honestly and fairly the benefits it promises and is capable of for ALL Americans. Private prisons are a detriment, not a benefit (nothing wrong with privatizing the lawn cutting and tree trimming on the grounds of public buildings). Ditto for the current panacea--charter schools.

Through my brother's experiences in county and state prison here in California I have learned a great deal about the monetary corruption that feeds the system.... The incentives that accompany prison privatization put the freedoms and liberties of Americans in jeopardy...

Repair Guy spouts nonsense, but I think he would need some time behind bars to clarify his thinking...

I guess I don't understand your position. If its your money being used wouldn't you want to make sure that money isn't being wasted? Government does not manufacture anything that makes itself money, any money government has is yours and mine. Continuously funding government to waste our money is crazy, somethings are needed and most things are not.

I have no way of personally guaranteeing that my money is spent efficiently, whether I give it to the government or to a private charity. All I can do is look at the results. I don't have to worry about the water when I visit another state. I can travel there on safe roads, using money stored in a bank account protected by the FDIC. I rarely even think about these things when I go about my daily business, but I am glad they are there.

I guarantee your money isn't being spent efficiently. Government consumes totally. I doubt that any company would be interested in giving free lunches to students because there is no profit in it, but that doesn't make private companies evil. The mantra on the left is that capitalism is pure evil because it wants profit, do you want to make a profit? Are you evil? How many of the highways built went through peoples land using imminent domain? How many of the landowners were compensated at the going rate? Government comes closer to evil than does private business.

"...but that doesn't make private companies evil." I never said private companies are evil and I don't believe that. I own one myself.

"The mantra on the left is that capitalism is pure evil because it wants profit, do you want to make a profit? Are you evil? How many of the highways built went through peoples land using imminent domain? How many of the landowners were compensated at the going rate? Government comes closer to evil than does private business." You really sound ridiculous. I have never said anything about capitalism being pure evil, and of course I want to make a profit and I make a living helping businesses make a profit.

With this last nonsensical response from you, it is clear that you are arguing with some imaginary liberal you've invented in your head.

I am not arguing at all, you are a liberal are you not? This thread was started to deride privately run prisons as being corrupt and government as being the savior. It isn't hard to see that you have the same feeling as most liberals toward business so in fact to talk with one you may as well be talking with them all. Thank you for your time.

That was a colossal waste of time. I don't fit your stereotype so you assure me that I fit anyway, as though your pronouncement makes it so. Never mind what I say; as long as you categorize me properly you can continue on in your little black-and-white bubble where subtlety of thought and careful consideration of others' beliefs is not required.

People say that whole immigration bill was all about building new prisons to lock more people up, make more money on the stock market...free labor,false credit for "doing something about crime", etc etcJan Brewer has people close to her involved in the prison-for-profit industy.(google it)So, rather than save dying people with transplants, she chose to give her buds the money to lock people up. IMO, and USA USA USA

I just read about the virtues of the American legal system on another thread.And the inevitable rebuttal that innocent people are imprisoned falsely.I invite you to share here on experiences with our (or your -- wherever you live) justice system.Or just express your opinions -- pro or con -- on...

Why does our government allow private prisons to contribute to judges reelections ?This is a payoff for filling them and is a conflict of interest. This is going on in nearly every state that has private owned prisons. There have only been one ring stopped in Pa because it was children, and another...

There's no one to step on/take advantage of anymore?Capitalism is defined as:- free-market system: an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and distribution of goods, characterized by a free competitive market and motivation by profit. Doesn't raise any red flags...

With wages adjusted for inflation either stagnant or losing ground and commodities and the cost of living going up. Is the US economy being systematically gutted or is this just a coincidence? What's your opinion and why?

For instance,1. Over-regulation of businesses preventing entrepreneurship.2. Confiscatory and overburdensome taxation causing businesses to flee.3. State control over utilities.4. Government control over the marketplace.5. Government control of media and technology.

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